Building structure of tie



Dec. 28, 1937. R. M. SCHAFFER BUILDING STRUCTURE OR TIE Filed Jan. 17, 1936 Patented Dec; 28, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BUILDING STRUCTURE R TIE Robert M. Schafier, St. Louis, Mo. v ApplicationJanuary 17, 1936, Serial No. 59,534

13 Claims.

My invention relates generally to improvements 7 7 horizontal joists or rafters for the floor above, are

then laid and secured crosswise upon this plate 10 or cap in spaced relation. The wall of course then has the usual plaster or other facing on its sides. Now it has been the custom in installing heating or ventilating pipes or ducts in such walls to lead these pipes or ducts up through the space between adjacentstuds, and where the pipes or ducts must go on upward above the lower wall to the story or room above, to out out a section of the plate or cap to provide the necessary opening and clearance. This cutting of the plate or cap greatly weakens the wall structure, since the top tie is thus broken and the studs in the wall to each side of the pipe or duct havea tendency to sway attheir upper ends, resulting often in the cracking or marring of the plaster or wall facing.

With the foregoing facts in mind it is the main object of my invention to provide means in the way of a tie bar assembly for bridging the gap out out of the plate or cap, in order to form in effect a rigid continuation of the top tie for the studs and eliminate the deleterious effects of cutting out the plate as described.

Another object is to provide an assembly for this purpose including tie bars of angular cross section adapted to be secured laterally to the studs at their upper ends and providing horizontally extended rests for the joists or rafters above the said bars, thus bridging the gap cut out from the plate or cap and anchoring and tying the studs 40 on each side thereof.

Another object is to provide an assembly for the purpose described, including tie bars of angular cross-section, adapted to be secured by one vertically turned web across the sides of the studs at or near their upper ends, the other horizon.-

tally turned web serving both as a rest or bearing for the ends of the floor joists or rafters above the said bars, and also as stiffeners against lateral sway of the studs, the bars thus serving to effectually bridge the gap out out from the plate or cap and rigidly anchoring or tying the studs in alignment and against lateral sway.

Another object is to provide a tie bar assembly in simple and inexpensive form and of a standard construction, and which may be readily out to the required length right on the job, the said bars being for this purpose pierced, slotted and apertured at equally spaced points along their length so as to be adapted to engage studs and joists of any usual or standard spacing.

Another object is to provide a tiebar assembly including tie bars of angular or L-shape cross section with a relatively wide stud facing web and a narrower joist rest or web, and angular or L-shaped hangers each having a head, arm or 10' hook to hang on and fasten to the upper ends of the studs and a carrier leg having laterally extended lock lugs, the said tie bars being notched at intervals along their length to receive the said lugs and also pierced at equally spaced points 15' along their length through both their webs for nailing to the studs and joists.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novelconstruction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter fully set 20 forth and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmental perspective view of a series of wall studs and adjacent parts as joined v by my tie bar assembly. 5

Figure 2 is a perspective view of one of my tie bar hangers alone.

Figure 3 is a fragmental perspective view of a tie bar.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a modified 30 form of tie bar hanger.

In carrying out my invention I provide a tie bar indicated generally at 5 formed up from heavy sheet metal into angular or L-shaped cross section as shown, the bar thus having a vertically 3 positionable stud mounting web or face 6 anda relatively narrower and horizontally positionable joist supporting web or rest 1. This bar may be fabricated in any desired length and cut or shortened on the job to fit each installation... Along the intended lower margin 8 of the web 6, that is the margin opposite the web 1, I provide a plurality of narrow downwardly opening apertures, slots or notches 9 spaced evenly along the length of the bar preferably two inches or some multiple thereof apart. The purpose of such spacing will presently appear. A plurality of nail holes H] are pierced along the medial line of the web 6 in the same spacing as the notches 9 but located midway therebetween. The web I also has 50 nail holes ll punched along its medial line in transverse alignment with the aforesaid holes In.

For use in connection with the bars 5 so formed I provide a plurality of tie bar hangers designated generally at l2 and each being angular or L- 55 shaped in side elevation, with an upper mounting head, hook or arm l3 and a relatively longer supporting or carrier web or leg l4 extended at right angles to this hook. In width these hangers are substantially equivalent to the width of the usual wall studs. The hook I3 has a pair of nail holes l5 pierced through and the leg 14 has a single nail hole E6, though it is understood that any number or arrangement of these nail holes may be used as desired. Adjacent their lower ends the supporting legs id have lock or hanger lugs, shoulders or projections 11 laterally extended as shown, the upper margins or ends IB of these lugs extending outward at right angles from the sides of the legs.

The foregoing parts are to be used in connection with a series or array of wall studs shown at A in Figure l as set up vertically in spaced relation in constructing a building wall, and where it is necessary to make provision for the passage of a heating or ventilating pipe or duct up through the wall. These studs A, only the upper end portions of which are shown, are capped or joined together at their upper ends by a plate, cap or rail B which runs along the tops of the studs and is nailed down to the ends of the studs. The joists C or other supporting parts of the floor or roof above are then extended crosswise upon the plate B and are nailed thereto. This is all in accordance with conventional building practice.

Now to lead a heating or ventilating pipe or duct (not shown) up between the studs, say through the space D, a section of the plate B is cut out as at E leaving the two studs adjacent the space D, open or disconnected, and these two studs are in accordance with my invention cut longer than the other studs by a length substantially equal to the thickness of the plate B in order to bring their upper ends up to the level of the upper edge of the plate. Ordinarily the plate B is simply cut out as described and the studs are left free but as will be readily evident this greatly weakens the wall since the top tie is broken and any lateral or lengthwise stress tends to sway the studs from alignment and results in cracking the wall. It is the purpose of my invention to maintain the longitudinal rigidity of the top tie of the wall while still leaving an opening at the top to pass the pipe or duct. To do so a pair of my hangers l2 are employed, one being placed with its head, arm or hook overlying the upper end of each of the studs A at the sides of the space D and with the supporting legs I 4 hanging down along the inner sides of the studs as shown. These hangers are then nailed as at l9 through the holes l5 and it into both the top and inner faces of the studs to secure the hangers in place. The lock lugs ll thus project beyond the lateral margins of the studs at each side of the wall.

A tie bar 5 is then cut to length and mounted horizontally along the upper lateral edges of the studs by first engaging the proper notches 9 with the projecting lugs 17 and then nailing the bar as at 26 through the holes in laterally to the studs. Another tie bar is similarly mounted on the other side of the line of studs and the bars when mounted are arranged so that the joist rests or webs l are turned oppositely and outwardly as shown and run along flush with the top of the wall or plate B, the latter of course resulting from a proper proportioning of the width of the webs 6, of the hanger legs M, the depth of the notches 9 and the location of the lock lugs ll.

By this arrangement the opening between the studs is left clear for a width equal to the width of the studs themselves so that a pipe or duct (not shown) may pass up through the space D and upward between the tie bars. The joists C may be secured to the tie bars 5 by nailing as at 2| upward through the holes 5 9 into the joists.

The notches 9 being as stated equally spaced apart will fit over the lock lugs ii of the hangers it when mounted to studs or" any equal spacing, and since such studs are usuaily set up in a regularly spaced relation represented by some multiple of me, the notches are likewise so spaced. Since the notches in the bars fall at the edges of the studs A when the ears are mounted, it is necessary in order to bring the nail holes EB into proper alignment with the centers of the studs for nailing thereto, that these holes be spaced along the bars from the notches, and it is for this reason that they, and likewise the joist nailing holes it, fall in a line midway between the notches as described.

In each installation the tie bars 5 are preferably cut to such length that they will extend at each end to cover at least two studs outwardly from the studs immediately adjacent the pipe space i). This long tie or caring across six or more studs thus forms a very rigid top. tie for, the wall, and the wall will in fact be stronger by the installation of my tie bars than it would be with the plate B alone serving as the top tie. The rigidity is greatly enhanced by the angular cross section of the tie bars 5, and in addition the horizontally turned webs l serve as stated as a rest for the joists C. The hangers l2 serve to anchor the studs A at each side of the space D to the tie bars 5 much more rigidly than would be the case were the nailing of the bars to the studs alone depended upon, and also the weight of the joists C and the floor above as carried by the bars is supported on and transmitted directly to the top ends of the studs, thereby preventing any possible sagging at this point. The thickness of the webs E3 and l is such that they will be covered by the usual lath and plaster coating (not shown) of the wall. The lock lugs ll project little, if any, beyond the outer faces of the tie bars 5, but if desired and as shown in Figure 4', the lugs i'ia may be widened and catch teeth or prongs 22 extended upwardly at their outer ends so that spaces 23 are formed to receive the tie bars 5 while the teeth 22 prevent the bars from slipping outward oi? the lugs.

While I have herein set forth a certain preferred embodiment of my invention, it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor structural details, so as best to construct a practical device for the purpose intended, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In combination with a series of wall studs as set up vertically in spaced relation, hangers secured atop the studs, and tie bars supported upon the hangers laterally of the studs.

2. In combination with a line of wall studs, 2. plate extended along the top of the studs and cut out between an adjacent pair of studs, and joists extended horizontally crosswise to the plate, a pair of tie bars secured horizontally along opposite sides of the line of studs at their upper ends and bridging the gap cut out o'fthe plate, the said tie bars including horizontally turned rests adapted to support the said joists.

3. In combination with a plurality of aligned wall studs, plates extended along the top of the studs and spaced apart longitudinally to provide a clearance between an adjacent pair of studs,

and joists extended horizontally and crosswise over the plates, a pair of tie bars arranged horizontally along opposite sides of the studs at their upper ends and bridging the gap cut out of the plate, the said tie bars including horizontally turned stiffening flanges adapted to also support the said joists at either side of the said clearance between the pair of studs, hangers depended from the tops of the studs and laterally projecting lugs on the said hangers, upon which the said tie bars are supported.

4. In combination with a wall structure including spaced studs and a capping plate mounted along the tops of the studs, the said plate being omitted between a pair of the studs to form an opening for a pipe, a tie bar, assembly including tie bars mounted along the sides of the studs at their upper ends'and bridging the said opening and extending along the wall at each end and secured to studs spaced from the said opening, and hangers secured to the studs and supporting the tie bars.

5. In a tie bar assembly of the kind described, hangers adapted to be mounted upon wall studs, laterally projecting lugs on the hangers, and tie bars adapted to be mounted along the sides of the studs and having spaced notches to engage the said lugs on the hangers.

6. In combination with a wall structure including spaced studs and a capping plate mounted along the tops of the studs, the said plate being cut out to form an opening for a pipe, a tie bar assembly including hangers extended laterally of the studs at their top ends and a tie bar mounted along laterally of the studs at their upper ends and supported by the said hangers and bridging the said opening and extending along the wall at each end and there secured to studs spaced from the said opening, the said hangers and tie bar also having apertures through which they may be nailed to the studs.

7. In a tie bar for a wall including vertical studs and horizontal joists, an elongated bar of angular cross-section and comprising a stud facing web and a joist supporting web, the said webs having a plurality of nail aperturesspaced there along to receive nails for securing the tie bar to the studs and joists.

8. A tie bar hanger for supporting an elongated tie bar horizontally in a wall structure including spaced, vertical studs, the hanger comprising an angular member including a hanger mounting arm and a depending tie bar supporting leg, means upon the hanger mounting arm for mounting same upon a stud and means upon the supporting leg for supporting the tie bar in position.

9. In combination with a series of spaced wall studs, hangers depended from the studs with portions of the hangers extended laterally of the studs, and a tie bar secured laterally along the studs and supported upon the laterally extended portions of the hangers.

10. In combination with a line of spaced wall studs, hangers depended from a number of the studs with portions of the hangers extended laterally of the line of studs, and a tie bar supported upon the laterally extended portions of the hangers.

11. In combination with a line of spaced wall studs, hangers supported upon a number of the studs and extended laterally of the line of studs, and a tie bar angular in cross section supported upon the laterally extended portions of the hangers, the tie bar being extended substantially horizontally and one web thereof arranged as a joist rest.

12. Incombination with a pair of spaced wall studs, hangers supported upon the studs the said hangers including portions extended laterally of the studs, and a tie bar including two angularly connected webs, one of the said webs having a bearing upon the laterally extended portions of the hangers and upon the adjacent sides of the studs, and the other web serving as a joist rest.

13. In combination with a number of wall studs properly aligned, a tie bar having two angularly connected webs, by one of which webs the tie bar is supported horizontally along laterally of the studs, the other web being adapted as a joist support.

ROBERT M. SCHAFFER. 

